


Valentine's Day

by Suzie_b



Series: Chaos Theory [2]
Category: FFVII
Genre: M/M, ffVII - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 18:47:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17772254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suzie_b/pseuds/Suzie_b
Summary: Set after the events of Chaos Theory.  It's just a simple trip to deliver much needed generators to Wutai, but the day has significance.





	Valentine's Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elfen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elfen/gifts).



There were advantages to having an airship, and Cid wasn't above using that advantage when there were no other pressing obligations. Even if it was a trip to Wutai village for the dual purpose of ironing out a deal with the re-establishing government for designs for new power plant equipment. The official reason for the trip was that Cid wanted to enforce the need for relaxation on Vincent's behalf to make sure the man was completely recovered. 

They had given up the close quarters of the Sierra for the more spacious Highwind, though Vincent had voiced the suspicion that it was because the older vessel was more in need of repairs. It was no secret that, while Cid delighted in building and updating the newer airship, there was more challenge in the older model.

Old was a misleading term, since large portions of the structure had been replaced around the original core and the design had been improved upon to make it possible to land the vessel anywhere. Still, Vincent could walk around the ship from memory. No detail had been left out of the interior. 

"You wanna let me know when you get back?" Cid's voice broke in on Vincent's thoughts and he looked over at the pilot, who was now on his back and partially under a structure that Vincent couldn't name. 

"...back?" Vincent was confused, a fact that showed on his face briefly. "I've been right here." 

"You were wanderin' off. Don't blame ya, this has gotta be boring from over there. I wanted to make some adjustments to this generator before we handed it over." As soon as he finished replacing the cover, Cid slid out from under the machine and held out his hand. "Gimme that shirt? I'll go clean up and take over from the auto. We should be there soon." 

"Not boring, just quiet." Vincent assured as he picked the shirt up from the rail it had been draped on and walked to stand over Cid. "Your clean up would have been easier had you worn the shirt, wouldn't it?"

"I'd go through more shirts." Cid's explanation was given in a somewhat complaining tone. "And then I'd have to go look for more, and that takes up too much damn time." Once he was standing, he looked at his hands then held them up to display the grime. "...yeah, you mind bringin' that along?"

For a moment, Vincent merely stared blankly, giving Cid time to think he'd said something wrong before giving a small hint of a smile. "You always forget yourself when you're working. ...I don't mind, as long as you don't mind the company." 

Cid's answer was a smirk before he turned to lead the way back to their cabin. "I don't forget," he corrected as they entered the room and he opened the small compartment that had once been spare storage space and had been since transformed into the most basic of shower stalls. "Speakin' of which. Kinda. I wanted to ask you, you got a ... you know, a home town or anything? Cause, you know, we do have a means of goin' there if you wanted. Which is my way of tellin' you I wanna know if you'll tell me." If nothing else, he was honest. 

Vincent thought the question over. Oh, he remembered, but the asking had been so seemingly random that it took him a moment to form an answer. "Kalm, I suppose. I grew up near there, but we didn't visit it very often. My mother was from Wutai, but my father's family held land near Kalm. He told me they used to govern the town once, until ShinRa stepped in." 

Cid shed his clothes and stepped under the fall of water to wash, taking only long enough to clean off the grime before stepping out again. "Not worth takin' time if it's only me," he explained as he grabbed a towel to dry. "Can't say that surprises me. You got that look, y'know?"

Vincent was far too distracted to say anything. That Cid was so well muscled had been a surprise at first- not because he didn't look it but because the pilot never dressed to emphasize it. It was only once he became aware of the fact that he was staring that Vincent spoke. "I... I don't." That he was blushing was obvious and he tried to hide the fact by handing Cid his shirt. "You said we were nearly there?" 

Cid chuckled as he reached out for the shirt and finished dressing before leaning in for a kiss. "Yeah. In fact, the alarm should be goin' off any seco--" A series of loud buzzes interrupted and he reached out to hit a button on the wall to silence it. "Yep, just nearing the coast. Should be able to see the village from here."

Vincent might have been surprised when Cid took his hand to lead him down the short corridor to the bridge, but it was a pleasant one. "How did you know where we were?"

"Couldn't you feel the change?" Cid glanced over his shoulder as he asked. "Nah, maybe not. It's like bein' on water, it changes when you get close to land or when you're gonna go over mountains. Temperature, weather patterns, that sorta thing. C'mon, I'll show ya. You can help me land." 

"Land? Cid, I've watched you but I doubt..." Vincent's words were interrupted by another tug on his hand that indicated he should walk more and talk less. 

It wasn't until they were at the wheel itself that Cid spoke, and only then once he was standing behind Vincent and placing his hands onto the polished wood. "Not havin' an idea's a good thing when it comes to this. You don't have to unlearn bad habits. That's why you should learn this before you learn to use those damn computer panels. Besides, you gotta stop doubtin' yourself sometime."

Vincent's surprised expression was hidden by the fact that Cid was behind him, and for that he was grateful. "Why would you think I doubt myself? And weren't you going to teach me how to do this?" 

"Cause it's the truth. Even when you acted like you were certain about things, you hesitated. You don't need to, y'know? Even if things don't work out the way you wanted, doesn't mean you failed. Just means that's the way it went." Cid's hands rested on Vincent's, directing the wheel as his chin rested against the gunman's shoulder. "Don't hold onto it, just put your hands there. You can feel the way the wind wants to take you, so don't fight against it." 

Vincent let himself be directed in silence, trying to keep his mind on the lesson. He could understand what Cid was trying to tell him, but he could think about it later. It was becoming a little difficult to think with Cid pressed against his back and breathing over his ear. 

"There, you feel that kinda floatin' and fallin' at once? Now it's time to tell 'er where you wanna go." Cid's hands wrapped about Vincent's and directed him through the landing without saying another word until they were safely on the ground. "Hell, maybe we should do this more often."

"Do..?" The answer to Vincent's question came in the form of Cid's arms about his waist and he couldn't hide the chuckle the action brought. "Do you really need an excuse? I don't think you do, not now." 

Cid's first response was to tighten his arms about Vincent and tug at his earlobe with his teeth. "Who the hell said anything about an excuse? It's an opportunity and I don't intend to pass any more of those up."

"Shouldn't we be preparing for the delivery of that generator?" Vincent asked once he was able to drag his attention away from the way Cid pressed against him and the feel of the man's teeth on his ear. Not an easy thing to do when all the rest of him wanted to do was encourage the man. 

Cid's fingers were already working at the fastenings of Vincents shirt to gain access to his skin. "Later. Been waitin' all day to get my hands on you. Done waitin'." His hands went to the gunman's belts and he made quick work of them. "Boots off..." The words indicated an order but the tone they were said in was far from it. 

After a few distracted seconds, Vincent managed to remember to kick his boots off- difficult as that was-and reached behind him to attempt to reach Cid's belt. "Too dressed." He'd begun to try to explain himself a little more eloquently when he was sidetracked by the removal of his pants and the fact that Cid turned even that into an opportunity for touch.

Cid chuckled, snaking an arm around Vincent's waist again from behind him and resting his chin on his shoulder again briefly. "Hands on the wheel, yer just supposed to stop thinkin' and enjoy it." His grip loosened and his hand slid along Vincent's skin, trailing over his stomach before moving on to his cock. "Unless you want me to stop."

Vincent gave a low growl and, without letting go of the wheel, leaned his head back enough to claim a kiss from the man behind him. "Have I threatened to shoot you lately? If I haven't, consider this the time." He was sure the smile he wore would give away his tease, but made sure it was only briefly seen. He was even more sure that his words had the desired effect when he heard the soft sound of a bottle being opened. 

It occurred to Vincent that Cid might have been planning this all along. That train of thought was derailed by the feel of Cid's mouth on his neck and the way the man's oil-slicked fingers teased and stretched him. He was vaguely aware of his hands being pulled from the wheel, of his body being turned so that his back rested against it, but none of that mattered more than the fact that he wanted Cid's hands on him again. Wanted more. 

With only a low growl as warning, Vincent reached out his gauntlet covered hand to snag the material of Cid's shirt and pulling him forward. "You're too dressed." He pointed out, his other hand reaching for the other man's belt only to be stopped. 

"Told ya, you ain't supposed to do anything." With a smirk, Cid reached out to remove Vincent's hand from his shirt and directed both arms over the wheel. Whether or not he noticed the holes in the garment, Cid stripped the shirt off and tossed it aside, following it with his boots and pants. "Better? Now c'mere." 

Before Vincent could move, Cid's hands were lifting him and he was vaguely aware of his legs wrapping about the pilot's waist. There was a faint ache in his arms that was easily ignored as Vincent's concentration went to the feel of Cid's cock pressing into him and he dug his heals into the other man's back to hurry him. 

Cid set a relentless pace, seemingly intent from keeping Vincent from regaining control. All the while he took advantage of the gunman's position to trail kisses over his chest and to graze his skin with his teeth, grinning at the sounds he managed to draw forth. 

Vincent had no hope of lasting long past the feel of Cid's oil slicked hand on his cock and his fingers curled about the wood of the wheel behind him. His back arched and he was vaguely aware of the sound of Cid's voice and the feel of cock pulsing inside of him. All of that faded into the background of his own release, and it wasn't until he felt Cid lifting him that his mind managed the slow crawl back to reality. 

"Alright? Arms sore?" Cid asked the questions in a voice that was nearly slurred as he pulled Vincent against him and settled them on the floor on Vincent's cloak discarded cloak. Cid’s ruined shirt was put to use in cleaning the gunman's abdomen before he wrapped them in the soft fabric and leaned back against the wall with Vincent held against him.

Vincent managed an affirmative sound and rested his cheek against Cid's shoulder. He let the silence linger, concentrating on his lover's breathing and the scent of his skin. It wasn't until his own damp skin began to cool that he found the energy to speak. "We should clean up... Tell me, was my flying THAT impressive?" There way no way to hide his smile.

"You are that damn impressive. ...and beautiful. Had to keep comin' up with things to do just to keep my hands off ya. Yer better, but I don't wanna push it." Concern was evident in Cid's voice, but he managed a grin. "We need a shower."

"What about the generator?" Vincent was curious and didn't try to hide it. He took the time to stand and reached a hand out toward Cid. "I'm alright, you don't need to continue to worry. ...not that I expect my words to stop you." 

"You're right, they won't." Cid took the offered hand but took no help in getting up. Instead, he held on as he bundled their clothing with his free hand and then led the way back to their shared cabin. "And the generator can get delivered tomorrow. That's when they're expectin' it." He hid his grin in the act of tossing their clothing onto the bed and his shirt into the corner. 

"Oh?" Vincent didn't hide the suspicion or amusement from his voice, but busied himself with finding just the right temperature for the water. It didn't take long, the new engines Cid had installed to replace those that had been fueled by mako warmed enough water for all of the cabins. "There. Perfect." 

Cid made a noise of agreement and gestured for Vincent to get in first. Once the door was shut behind him he picked up the Shampoo. "I'll wash ya, and don't give me that look. You ain't an invalid, it's just another one of those opportunities." 

Vincent instinctively tried to stifle the laugh that was his immediate response, but that was an effort doomed to failure even if he hadn't given it up entirely. "No looks, then. I'll wash you afterward. You shouldn't be the only one allowed to take advantage of such opportunities."

The shower went quickly and Cid seemed determined to keep it solely for the purpose of getting clean. Only when they had finished dressing and had begun the short walk down the corridor again did the reason become clear. 

Vincent was instructed to wait and he watched with curiosity as Cid opened one of the supposedly empty storage units to pull out a basket and a blanket, the latter of which was tossed over his shoulder. Once that was accomplished, they made their way out onto the deck. 

Cid spread out the blanket and put the basket down before reaching out and taking Vincent's hand. "C'mon, sit. And don't worry. I honestly do know how to cook. ...well. Some. The rest I don't take chances on."

"You cook?" Vincent couldn't keep the hint of amused disbelief out of his voice as he sat. "You really are an endless source of surprise. It makes me wonder what else I don't know about you." 

Cid sat and it wasn't until he'd emptied the basket's contents and filled a glass with wine to hand to Vincent that he spoke again. "Is it that damn surprising? How the hell do you think I stayed alive before you guys showed up? Sure as hell wasn't Sierra's cookin', trust me. But, you know, if you wanna know somethin' all you gotta do is ask. You got the market cornered on bein' all mysterious."

"Her tea did border on..." Vincent tried, but he couldn't come up with the word to describe the caustic nature of what had come out of that teapot. 

"Turpentine," Cid supplied. "If it was a good day. I don't think she realized you gotta boil the pot a couple of times after you clean it with vinegar. At least, I think that's what she was usin'." He shrugged and busied himself with serving the food. "I figured if my yellin' didn't run everyone off, that might do it. Glad it didn't."

As they ate, Vincent realized just why Cid had chosen this particular location for such an activity. The typhoon season had passed in Wutai, taking with it the mugginess of late September and leaving behind the warmth that could only be found in Wutai in October. Whatever the pilot had planned, he'd certainly picked the right time and place. "I admit that I thought we should honor your wishes at the time. But Cid..." 

Cid interrupted by moving to sit directly beside Vincent so that their shoulders touched. "But yer wonderin' what I'm up to, right? You got that look. You don't think you do, but your eyes get all narrow when you're tryin' to figure somethin' out."

As Vincent watched, Cid leaned back and tucked his hand into his pocket and then sat up to put an arm about Vincent's shoulder. "What..." 

The question was answered by the glitter of a chain that was clasped around Vincent's neck and weighted down by a simple golden band. "The engraving's a dragon." Cid explained as he picked the band up to show the design before he turned to place a kiss on the cheek of the man beside him. "Happy birthday, beautiful." 

"How... How did you find out?" Vincent's surprise was clear in his voice as he held the ring in his fingers and watched the fading light play over the design. "I guess that doesn't matter. Thank you."

"That part was easy. I asked Reeve to find out for me, since I figured it'd be in your record. He managed to get a lot out before he lost access to their system. Told him I didn't want more than that, though. If I find out anything else it'll be from you." Cid grinned and leaned back, putting his hands behind him on the deck for support. "You're welcome." 

"You could have, I wouldn't have minded if you found out more. I suppose we're both very bad at asking questions. Who knows if either one of us has a right to ask for the other's past, right? You can ask." Vincent's gaze remained on the ring and he turned it to study the design. He was very bad at conversation, he knew that. Not as bad as he had been when he had first met Cid, certainly, but it was a skill that took practice. "I want to ask you things... I never know how to ask or when." 

"Hell, you ain't gotta worry about botherin' me with questions. Just come out with it. Doesn't matter when. I think I know what you wanna ask, though." Cid took time to light a cigarette, then resumed his position to look up at the darkening sky. "And yer right, that wasn't even close to the first time. The rest of the question is who and when, right?" 

"That was what I had wondered about next, yes," Vincent admitted and turned his gaze to Cid. "I didn't want to ask if you didn't consider it any of my business or if it would bring up bad memories for you." 

"Not all bad. See, for me it never mattered, not that I ever found anyone that interested me that much. I had a friend, though, that was only interested in men and he was the type that you just knew the world was gonna do bad things to so... I guess it was more like us keepin' eachother company." Cid inhaled deeply from his cigarette, then exhaled the smoke in a sigh. "He went to work on the space program when I did and met some guy that was there to guard the facility. Ended up leavin' with him. I heard he was killed later in some sorta accident." 

"I'm sorry, I wouldn't have asked..." Vincent's words were cut off by a gesture from Cid and considered the situation. "That's not what did it, though, is it? What made you want to chase everyone away?" 

"Gettin' better at this, ain't ya? Nah, that wasn't it. See, I'd already met someone, myself. Her name was Anna and her little sister was the one who tried to kill ya with the tea. They both came to work on the program together, but Anna was really excited about it. She was a candidate for it until they figured out that she had some sorta problem with her breathin'. So then I told her I'd go for both of us." Cid paused to finish his smoke and toss it out and over the edge of the deck. "You wanna know the real reason I was so pissed off at Sierra? I didn't give a shit if there was an explosion and she made a big damn deal of it. Knew I wouldn't let her get killed, so that's how she stopped me. Cause after her sister died I really didn't have much else goin' for me beyond that. I was kind surprised that she was right about the oxygen tank, though... and I hate bein' wrong about somethin' like that." 

Vincent watched Cid's grin, studying it for several seconds before judging it genuine. "I'm glad she stopped you." He had tried several times to think of what his life would be like without Cid in it and he'd come up with some very dim possibilities: Alone and separate from humanity indefinitely or whatever it was that Hojo had in mind for him. His current situation was much, much more desirable. 

"Hell, she ain't the one that stopped me. Even right up to the end, I never figured on makin' it through alive. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't gonna jump off the deck or anything. Just didn't really give a damn. You're the one that changed my mind. Figured if I was gonna see you again I'd have to be alive to do it." Cid shook his head and sat up to pack away the remnants of their meal. "Now we got better things to think of. Gettin' a house built is one of 'em, unless you want to live in a workshop. Any objections to a nowhere little town that ain't even got the rocket it was named for anymore?"

Despite the conversation, Vincent smiled. "I'm sure you'll think of something to build in its place. ...and a little nowhere town sounds perfect. Now, let's go inside. I have other questions for you, like why anyone would build a car _inside_ their house."

Cid laughed and stood, taking up the basket and reaching his free hand toward Vincent. "Aw, c'mon. Everyone's got a hobby."

"Building cars inside is a hobby? We may need to discuss the concept of the garage door."

**Author's Note:**

> Heeeeey... it's been forever. The thing is, I had intended for there to be a sequel to Chaos Theory and then life happened and I lost track. I'll be posting the chapters I have written soon and updates will take forever, so don't be surprised if it's months between. I have other projects I'm working on while I work on this, but I've always wanted to finish it up.


End file.
